Boogie Nights
User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 102 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 87 out of 102
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 102
  3. Negative: 11 out of 102

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  1. DonK.
    Apr 3, 2001
    10
    Incredible filmmaking. We've come to expect so little these days (2000-2001) in terms of good movies, it's great to pop this one in the DVD player to remember what a great film is all about.
  2. DanM.
    Jan 28, 2004
    8
    Burt Reynolds can act. And he is very good in this film.
  3. GilbertTheSurnameBoycotter
    Oct 2, 2002
    10
    Paul Thomas Anderson has entered the building.
  4. MihaG.
    May 3, 2003
    2
    I'm sorry to opose to all the previous reviewers, but I find this film really bad. Characters are fake, acting is bad, camera is poor, everything sux. So what if chicks can see a big cock at the end?!? That does not make a good movie...
  5. MichaelM.
    Oct 23, 2004
    10
    An excellent movie! I really enjoyed it. It was a bit disturbing at parts, but still very good. You'll notices great performances given by Burt Renyolds, Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle , John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robert Ridgley and Alfred Molina (considering he had a very tiny role, he really did alot with it). I wasn't too thrilled about Mark Wahlberg's performance. In my opinion I don't think he is a very good actor. He always plays the same part in every film he stars in. The directing and writing in the film are absolutley outstanding. I was especially taken by the direction of the donut shop shoot out that appears about 2 hours into the movie. If you are looking for an interesting movie to watch, rent or buy Boogie Nights. Be sure to get the New Line Platinum Series. (1/23/03)… Expand
  6. JaredS.
    Oct 15, 2003
    9
    Very, very entertaining! PT Anderson has made his Scorsese-que masterpiece. Anderson's major influence consist of Scorsese, Robert Altman, and Jonathan Demme, and I feel he has achieved a similiarity to each of those filmmakers. With Hard Eight, he made his Demme-like film. With Boogie Nights, his Scorsese film and with Magnolia, his Altman-like film. Now, Punch-Drunk Love, on the other hand, is unlike any other type of filmmaker. So, I define PDL as PTA's own style. Anyway, back to B Nights. Great film, and a tour-de-force through the rise and fall of the porn industry as well as entertainment in general ranging from the late 70s to the early 80s. Often hilarious, and often powerful, this is definitely worth your time and money.… Expand
  7. Dr.SteveH.
    Jun 19, 2003
    5
    Mildly amusing at times. Acting is a bit cornball. Heather Graham is gorgeous and sexy, Mark Wahlberg can't act his way out of a bag. Using real porn star Nina Hartley in a minor role was nice touch. Cool cars.
  8. KeithE.
    Sep 19, 2003
    2
    This movie was horrible. The characters were very two dimensional. The only redeeming part of this movie was being able to see some nice t n' a.
  9. AndrewM.
    Aug 8, 2004
    5
    I was not won over by this film. I will admit there are scenes that are wholly effective and work...but the finished product is unimposing and somewhat vacuous. The film doesn't really give us anything; there is a lot promised, little delivered. For those that say it was an insight into the ropey, debauched lifestyle prevalent in the American adult industry during the 60's and 70's, just what exactly was so illuminating? What stunning revelations were shown? It all seemed to me second-hand news... drugs, parties, disco, money.... uh-huh, really, I did not know that! Anyway, I don't want to be too harsh... The film does have some redeeming qualities and is not without merit. Burt Reynolds is fantastic. He embodies his character perfectly and is impressively convincing. Graham and Moore aren't given much to work with but both do favourably. Wahlberg is as good as Wahlberg gets, which is average. The cinematography and production sets are the real high points - the film looks exactly like what it is portraying in most scenes. Very skillfully shot. But all in all, it's a film that is weaker than the sum of its parts and all the more undistinguished for it.… Expand
  10. J.RyanG.
    May 23, 2005
    7
    I own this movie on DVD, and I've seen it at least a half-dozen times. Still, I don't quite get what it is trying to say. Perhaps that's why I keep going back--trying to solve a magnificent puzzle. Everyone in the film is brilliant--especially William H. Macy--and a very real atmosphere is created by the throbbing music, the virtuoso camera work, and the precise editing. But I get the feeling that the writer-director, Paul Thomas Anderson, did not make a complete statement. Why tell this story? I say, enjoy the film for what it has to offer; but be aware that, unlike its main character, the film has its shortcomings.… Expand
  11. KeytonE.
    Jul 22, 2005
    2
    Quite possibly the most overrated film of all time. I was bored to tears, which is truly unfortunate because I wanted to love this movie, and I tried to love this movie, but it's just boring.
  12. OLuc
    Jul 27, 2006
    10
    Sometimes, I come back to this movie and I think about it, and I wonder, "Why isn't this movie being praised as well as othe movies of it's era, like Fargo, or Titanic?" More and more I wonder why people look more towards Quentin Tarantino then P.T. Anderson when it comes to directing, because this movie is just one of those movies that really is brought togethor by the film9;s atomesphere and screenplay, which were both done by Anderson. This movie is better than what many grade it to be, so if you like Robert Altman, than see Boogie Nights, the modern-day Nashville!… Expand
  13. VinceJ.
    Dec 7, 2002
    10
    Although completely different, it ranks right up there with 'Goodfellas' as a movie one can watch over and over... and always be entertained. Wonderful film.
  14. A.A.
    Apr 24, 2002
    10
    One of my personal "ten best" of all time. Stunning ensemble acting. Stunning capture of that period, of course, from a pornographers viewpoint. I'm now 45 years old, and I was lucky enough to catch about 6 months of Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin at the nightclubs as a more/or/less underage 19 year old before it all turned to disco. So I can rightfully say I was a witness to the perversity of disco. Can you imagine, in 2002, that hard rock ever defined a pure and true artistic period? Well, yes it did, especially compared to disco. I hated disco, but I LOVED Boogie Nights. … Expand
  15. YoonC.
    Sep 14, 2003
    5
    Overreaching, meandering, shapeless cross-threading of narratives revolving around the porn world. Generally, a wallowing in self-pity, tiresome thematic gobbledygook about redemption, rather dumb and dirty exposure of America's cultural underbelly, all of which are made even more ludicrous by Anderson's cutesy quirky humor that aspires--laughably--to metaphysical vision of cosmic absurdity. Foul movie but not without decent performances and some nice touches.… Expand
  16. JonathanM.
    Jun 15, 2004
    10
    This is a great film. What more can one want, great direction, script and acting are all in this movie. Simply wonderful.
  17. 2GUI2
    Jul 7, 2011
    10
    The moment you start watching "Boogie Nights", written and directed by the artist Paul Thomas Anderson, it is quite visible that the movie isn't just very bold and distinct from all the other films of the 90's but that it represents a matter that hasn't been approached almost at all. It is in the 70's and the 80's that the film is set, around the pornography-film-industry. Filled with astonishing performances (from practically every supporting actor and Mark Wahlberg in the leading role) and a great script, "Boogie Nights" is one of the year's must-see.… Expand
  18. benido326
    May 8, 2012
    8
    Set against the backdrop of late 1970â
  19. seancriswell
    Oct 7, 2012
    6
    Most peoples favorite PT Anderson movie is probably my least. I don't dislike this film, it just hits me on a less emotional level than his other work. There is plenty to like here. Reynolds in particular is excellent. The scenes between Wahlberg and Reilly's characters are among the most memorable in any Anderson film. There is a lot more humor from scene to scene than in most Anderson films, ironically that may be why I didn't connect with these characters as well as would have liked. The scene where Diggler and the boys go to a drug dealers house to rip him off best illustrates this. This is a scene that is ultimately where the protagonist of the movie hits rock bottom, but instead of feeling that emotion, I was laughing and shaking my head in disbelief. Don't misunderstand, I enjoyed this scene, and I think Anderson wanted us to see the absurdity. However instead of connecting with these characters as I have in other Anderson films, these moments disconnect me. For me moments like this are what takes this film from being great to just another good movie.… Expand
  20. cameronmorewood
    Nov 8, 2012
    10
    I was blown away by Paul Thomas Anderson's 'Boogie Nights.' Never have I seen a film so alive. The writing, directing, acting, editing, cinematography, and epic soundtrack are all key elements in the construction of this nearly flawless film.
  21. EsaiSouza
    Nov 26, 2012
    10
    The film is always alive. It is Paul Thomas Anderson's masterpiece. It has obvious influences from legendary director Martin Scorsese which in my opinoin isn't a bad thing at all. It is a masterful film of art with a complicated subject and that's what makes this film and PTA so great.
  22. Nesbitt10
    Dec 29, 2012
    9
    Everything about "Boggie Nights" is sincere and straightforward, and with an wide array of unforgettable characters, it is one of the most distinctive American films made in the late 1990's. Everyone's born with one special thing, and Eddie Adams (Marc Wahlberg) uses his "special gift" and is poised to take the world of porn by storm. Eddie Adams, (also known as Dirk Diggler), is discovered by porn director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) and soars to the top of the pornography industry. After achieving great success in the industry during the 1970's, the 80's did not fair so well for Dirk. A change of culture coupled with a drug addiction, he quickly hits rock bottom not knowing anything else to turn to. At the heart of the story is a group of eccentric, outlandish group of characters, an unorthodox "family" if you will. An incredible collection of actors and performances keep this lengthy film completely engaging throughout the 155 minutes. Despite of what you may think of these people and their profession, you can't help but be drawn into their lives and personal stories. Paul Anderson's attention to the fine details; decor, style, culture, and social attitudes of the era are spot on. It is heart-rendering and darkly humorous with an message of redemption and forgiveness.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 28 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. San Francisco Examiner
    Reviewed by: G. Allen Johnson
    88
    I'm not sure all of this works out as convincingly as Anderson intends in the movie's somewhat unsatisfying ending, but getting there is a wickedly enjoyable journey.
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  2. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marjorie Baumgarten
    89
    From the second it begins, Boogie Nights seizes your senses and pulls you right in: no turning back, no time for debate, no regrets.
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  3. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Jami Bernard
    100
    Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson has perfectly wedded form to function by filming Boogie Nights in a style suggesting the grainy texture of porn and the ambivalence of the era.
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